Gränna, Visingsö and Äppledalen

This cycling package offers a rich journey through some of Småland's most atmospheric environments. You cycle through magical forests and along the eastern Vättern slopes, visit charming Gränna and historic Visingsö, and explore Äppledalen's rolling farmland - sometimes called Småland's own Tuscany.

Gränna, beautifully situated on the shores of Lake Vättern, is known for its cobbled streets, colorful wooden houses and the scent of freshly stuffed candy canes. In the harbor, cozy restaurants await and the ferry that takes you to Visingsö, where the sights are close and the bike is the perfect means of transport. For the best experience, we recommend a bike with wider tires, adapted for both gravel and road.

You stay comfortably at Bauergården - an accommodation close to nature on the edge of the forest by Lake Bunn. After the day's stage, relaxation awaits, perhaps a moment in the sauna, and then a tasty dinner in a quiet environment. Here, activity is combined with tranquility - just as a cycling holiday should be.

Please note that the trails are not marked and therefore we strongly recommend that you download and cycle using our digital maps. Printed maps are also available at the hotel.

Photo: DAYPHOTOGRAPHY

Day 1 - Around Lakes Among Trolls

hotelBauergården, Bunn

restaurantPicnic basket and dinner

directions_bike32 km

Åsens village and farm café

After checking in at Bauergården, a beautiful tour of the surrounding landscape awaits. The destination of today's excursion is Åsens by - a living cultural reserve where time seems to have stopped. Here you can sit down at the charming farm café Åsens Skafferi & Servering, which is housed in the old barn. Don't miss the Småland cheesecake, baked according to tradition with milk from the neighboring village - a taste of childhood memories and local pride.

From Åsens village, you head over the heights down towards beautiful Ramsjön, a quiet place surrounded by forest. You pass the entrance to Råbyskogen, a nature reserve with lush paths and magical greenery - perfect for a short detour on foot.

The journey continues into the fairytale forests that inspired the artist John Bauer. Here the gravel road winds through moss-covered rocks and silence, as if taken from a story from the past. A soft start to the cycling journey, with both taste, history and the magic of nature.

Day 2 - Gravel Roads, Candy Canes, and Lake Views

hotelBauergården, Bunn

restaurantBreakfast, picnic basket and dinner

directions_bike40-65 km

A must in Gränna - freshly made candy canes

After breakfast, you set course for picturesque Gränna and the historic island of Visingsö - a day filled with nature, culture and classic candy canes. You cycle north through a beautiful landscape with lake views and small roads that wind through the Småland cultural landscape.

In Gränna you can stroll along the cobblestone streets, peek into the candy shops and choose from several nice restaurants. From here, the ferry goes to Visingsö with frequent trips across Lake Vättern. A ferry ticket is not included in the package, but is easily purchased on site or online.

On Visingsö, several sights await: Visingsborg Castle Ruins, the strangely straight oak tree planted in the 19th century, and Visingsö Castle in Näs - the place where Sweden's kings were crowned almost a thousand years ago. The island is perfect to explore by bike.

If you want to shorten the day's stage, you can choose to return the same way from Gränna, instead of cycling around the whole island. The evening ends with a good dinner at the hotel - a nice rounding off of a day with a lot to discover.

Day 3 - The Lovely Apple Tour

hotelBauergården, Bunn

restaurantBreakfast, picnic basket and dinner

directions_bike63-72 km

Cycling through Äppledalen - Smålands Toscana

Today the tour goes to Äppledalen, sometimes called "Småland's Tuscany" - an area known for its favorable climate and its rolling orchards. You cycle through Bunndalen towards Ölmstad, along winding country roads that take you through both forests and open fields.

At Kaxholmen you can stop for a swim at Hunnerydsbadet, before reaching Rudenstam's Gårdsbutik och Café - a lovely place for lunch or coffee among the apple trees.

The journey continues through Äppledalen to Vistakulle Fruktodling, where you are treated to a fantastic view of Lake Vättern. If you have the energy left in your legs, you can round Landsjön before turning back towards Ölmstad and then on to Bunn.

Back at the hotel, a well-deserved dinner awaits - a perfect end to a day filled with tastes, smells and views you will never forget.

Day 4 - The Beautiful Countryside of the Eastern Vättern Cliffs and Return Home

restaurantBreakfast

directions_bike29 km

Picnic in the forest

As a conclusion to your cycling adventure, a stage through one of Sweden's most atmospheric cultural landscapes awaits. You cycle on undulating small roads that wind past barns and mansions, horses and cows. Here in the area southeast of Lake Vättern you are met by a nature that has been shaped by both geology and generations of use - from almost untouched ravines to oak hills that belonged to old large estates.

The landscape is vibrant and varied: leafy meadows by small crofts, open pastures and quiet forest areas give the tour both peace and luster.

We recommend a stop at Flättinge Gårdsbutik, where you can enjoy homemade coffee and perhaps learn more about the farm's own cultivation of sweet lupine - a protein-rich legume similar to the soybean.

Then it's off home, with fresh air in the lungs and the bike bags filled with memories. If you want to stay another night, that's fine - then another dinner awaits and the chance to digest the experiences in peace and quiet.